"Damian Dlugolecki enjoys an international reputation as a designer and craftsman of the highest quality gut strings for renaissance, baroque, classical and modern performance. His innovative designs are based on historical practices and methods and are sought after by many prominent artists. Included in his String Catalog is a complete selection of gut strings for the violin, viola, cello and for the viola da gamba. Also available are custom made strings for double bass and violone and for all bowed stringed instruments. Mr. Dlugolecki combines quality with prompt efficient service aided by advanced information and delivery systems. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

"We have been making iron, brass, red brass, copper and tinned copper wires for keyboard instruments since 1981, and they are in use by makers and restorers throughout the world. Their formulation is based on research work begun in 1976 into the wires used in Europe from the late 17th to the mid 19th century. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

"Aquila USA is the U.S. representative for Aquila Corde Armoniche, manufacturers of the finest gut strings and synthetic strings, for historical and modern musical performance. " View website for more information. (ed.)

"When it comes to strings and accessories, Super-Sensitive Musical String Co. is in perfect harmony with your needs. Because at the heart of our commitment to quality is a dedication to understanding the unique needs of musicians. It’s how the first Red Label string was made back in 1930, and why it’s still the leading educational student string today.

Through collaboration between manufacturing, musicians and educators, we’ve continued to innovate the industry with the highest quality strings and accessories. The Red Label Premium strings are just one of the exciting new products that continue our tradition of excellence and enable musicians to play to their full potential, from first try to first chair.

"Now more than ever, musicians are reaping the benefits of technical innovations in strings. Manufacturers have developed a tremendous variety of new materials and construction techniques that offer unique character and enhance overall performance.

Trying several different types of strings will allow you to "zero in" on the best solution for any particular instrument and playing style. From traditional hand-crafted selections to high tech exotics, we're here to help you get the most out of your instrument. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

" Juan has been an arts teacher for 20 years and Mary has got years of administrative experience working in the export department of a Dutch company and later o­n managing the large invoice department of another company. They both specialised in languages at an early stage.

As a teacher of three-dimensional arts in a secondary school, Juan took up an interest in the history and construction of the piano, being inspired by his 1881 Erard Grand that he knew since he was a boy of 14. From 1991, after 20 years of teaching, Juan became a professional piano technician. He immediately started to extend his study of the piano to the complex 19th century developments. Every possible book o­n the subject was bought and read and many travels through Europe brought him many contacts with colleagues. In 1994 he took up the initiative of selling this special pianowire that had just been discovered as the answer to many restoration problems.

Juan's enthusiasm was inspiring for his wife Mary, who used her administrative and language abilities. There are few women who know more about wire and pianos than she does! Juan and Mary travel a lot together, visiting many piano workshops and piano collections all over Europe. " ...

"From my most early studies of violin making I gravitated towards instruments intended for historical performance practice, making my first baroque violin in 1973 when I was still a student. About that time I began to research early instruments and set up, spending time in museums with as many unaltered instruments as the curators would allow. In the late 1970s I came to the conclusion that our early instrument reproductions would not work to expectation with the gut strings that were available at the time and I started to study the properties of historical strings based on old extant samples that I had taken out of violin cases over the years, historical descriptions of the string making process and early comments on the nature of strings. This led me to the conclusion that the only way to make authentically styled historical strings was to make them myself. The string making process does not lend itself to making just a few strings when needed, so I found myself developing a new business that developed into Gamut Musical Strings.

"It is the quality of our strings and rosin that makes PIRASTRO a well known brand name which stands for reliability and beauty of sound.

Many musicians of bowed classical instruments prefer PIRASTRO strings because of the string's ability of modulation and altering the tone. This allows the musician to create an individual sound and to evoke the special sound characteristics of the instrument.

Musicians can chose from the most comprehensive product program available in the industry, which offers gut strings such as Oliv, Eudoxa or Chorda, synthetic strings like evah pirazzi, Obligato, Violino or Tonica and steel strings such as Permanent, Flexocor or Chromcor. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

In 1919, two former officers of the Austrian monarchy, violin maker, Dr. Franz Thomastik, and civil engineering specialist, Otto Infeld, decided to become collaborators. They co-founded the company, invented the steel string and thus caused a revolution in the music world.

Suddenly the conventional gut string was challenged by a new string with the highest quality of tone, precision and reliability. It was received enthusiatically by virtuosi across the world.

To the present, an ennormous variety of strings with this new exciting sound for bowed and plucked instruments are produced at the homebase of Thomastik-Infeld, right in the of Vienna, the world´s music capital.

Thomastik-Infeld constructs and manufactures machines for producing strings in its own workshops. With a staff of 190 people, it produces yearly over 3.000 different strings. 97% of them are exported to more than 100 countries. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

"Universale musical strings distinguish from the respect of the manufacturing which follow the tradition of Italian string making based on historical practice and methods passed from one generation to the other.

Well constructed strings - such as Universale musical strings - offer to the customer a good combination of flexibility and durability . Maximum elasticity , ready attack and best acoustical performance with richness of upper harmonics distinguish this string from others available on the world's market. To increase tuning stability , longer playing life as well as to retard moisture penetration by hand perspiration are strings varnished.

The Universale musical strings are made from first quality selected gut (ram & ox). Each string is produced with utmost care including long experience in string manufacturing. Pure silver wire used for wound strings give them warmer and more powerfull tone. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

“In addition to my regular building and restoration, I also offer a variety of services regarding the stringing of historical pianos, both originals and copies. These include the interpretation of existing gauge marks, the devising of entirely new stringing schedules when no marks are present and the design and fabrication of wound bass strings of all types and materials, both open and closed wrapped. I rely upon a combination of evidence drawn from original instruments, information gleaned from original piano making manuals of the 19th century, and a sophisticated computerized analysis technique. Surviving strings are faithfully copied in wrapping form and hitchpin loop. Bass core wires are always pre-stretched before wrapping until they stabilize at 80% rupture load in order to assure rapid stability of pitch once mounted and prevent in-situ stretching which can create loose wraps. Modern steel core stock is never used, and every attempt is made to find the best possible solution from among the various available “historical” wire types.“